Amanda and Joel’s lively wedding perfectly captured the spirit and hospitality of N’awlins. A historic building served as the ceremony and reception space, and a brass band was on hand to celebrate and parade the newlywed couple through the streets before helping them make their very grand reception entrance. The romance of the French Quarter comes through very strong at this incredibly elegant destination wedding!
Amanda + Joel | October 20, 2013 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Dress Listing: Lazaro, 3214
The Ceremony
Joel and I met and became friends in college, but didn’t start dating until after graduation. We were one of the last of our group of friends to get married, so we wanted to do something amazing/unforgettable that would set our wedding apart from the rest and be something that our friends and family would love!
We are originally from Michigan, but now live in Jersey City. Our friends and family are spread out all over the world so we knew our wedding should be a “destination” of some kind. We quickly decided on New Orleans! We are in love with the city for it’s rich history, sense of mystery and hospitality, great music/food/atmosphere. We knew our guests would make a vacation out of it and that we could incorporate some amazing local customs to make it an unforgettable night! We definitely made the right choice – our wedding was absolutely amazing and we loved every single second! 🙂
We had a short, non religious, ceremony in the old courtyard of Latrobe’s on Royal. With the gas lanterns, chandeliers, soft candle light and the jazz trio…it was a perfectly romantic and cool setting for us to tie the knot!
The Reception
After the ceremony, the Kinfolk Brass Band took us on a second line parade (a local tradition) through the French Quarter. We paraded along the streets, dancing, waving handkerchiefs and singing along to the music – it was amazing! The parade led us back to the reception space, which was also at Latrobe’s on Royal, but took part mostly in the main building.
Latrobe’s is in the heart of the French Quarter and was originally the Louisiana state bank. It has an incredible dome, the original vault, beautiful decor/atmosphere and was the perfect spot for our night! We had local New Orleans inspired food, plenty of music, and danced our hearts out until the end.
Amanda’s Dress Search
I looked online at thousands of dresses and kept pinning mermaids, trumpets, fit and flares, etc. I thought I wanted something beaded or crazy up top and a simple/elegant bottom. After trying on about 10 gowns, my consultant brought the Lazaro gown into the room and I knew it was the one before I even tried it on. It was perfect and I have received countless compliments…such an amazing dress!
How Amanda Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Beautiful, beaming and glamorous.
Why Amanda Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
The thought of boxing up such a beautiful dress and having it hide in a closet for the rest of my life was depressing! I am hoping someone will see it and want to wear it on their wedding day…this gown has many amazing evenings ahead of it, not just the one!
